Many processes require hand soldering. Current methods for hand-soldering printed circuit boards, or other soldering applications in the electronics industry, the plumbing industry, jewelry construction/repair, and the like, require precise, accurate and repeatable soldering steps.
This is important for several reasons. First, it is important because if a soldered joint on a printed circuit board is prepared too fast, the solder may not have melted properly and was not liquified enough to allow seepage in and around the metal that is being soldered together. In fact, the top surface of the solder may look like there is enough solder, but actually, there is an air pocket in the solder joint. This error can easily happen if a worker has been soldering for a long period of time, and is fatigued.
It is also important to know exactly how much solder is used to prevent waste and inefficiency in soldering methods. If the amount of solder used can be precisely determined, this data can be used to project other jobs, and to measure performance and provide quality control data for other jobs. Still further, knowing precisely how much solder will be necessary for a particular job makes cost projections easier to make, and more precise.
Currently, a worker is taught hand soldering by example, either from a teacher, mentor or from a training film. This method of measuring solder is generally called "eye-bailing." However, this is imprecise, especially with regard to applications in highly technical areas, such as printed circuit boards, or the like. Furthermore, accurate records of solder use are not kept using "eye-ball" techniques, and thus data for other uses and/or other applications may not be accurate. This may also affect quality and reliability of soldering operations. Still further, it is not easy to change the amount of solder used for jobs. Still further, there is no universal way to apply an "eyeball" method developed for one application to other applications.
Yet another drawback to current methods of measuring solder results because of worker fatigue. As a worker tires, his or her accuracy may vary or decrease, and the constant strain of accurately measuring solder may even exacerbate this fatigue.
Therefore, there is a need for a means and a method for accurately, precisely and repeatably marking solder for any particular job, and which can be easily altered and modified for other jobs.